The students will be able to... 1. Predict major parts of the story by hearing the first chapter 2. Identify major vocabulary words in the chapters and propose a definition based on the context.
1 A. Think-Pair-Share (Comprehension) RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and anlyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
This first activity will help the students work on their predicting skills. The students will not have their personal copies of the books yet. I want the students to focus while I am reading to find out new information. First, I will ask the students what they do when they first pick up a book. I will act out all of their answers so they feel like they are looking at the book for the first time. I will guide to reading the back cover, looking at the picture on the front cover, looking at the chapter titles, and reading the first chapter. The students will then get five minutes to write about what they think about the book’s plot. Then the students will have ten minutes to get with a partner and write up a combined prediction. Finally, the students will be able to share what they wrote with the rest of the class.
2 A. Finalizing Predictions (Comprehension) RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and anlyze its develpment over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
This second activity will make a list of final predictions for the class to look back on while they are reading. Since all of the students have made a general prediction, the teacher will put specific questions up on the board. The students can get back with their partners from the think-pair-share to answer the questions on a sheet of paper. The teacher will collect the sheets so the students can look back over their predictions at the end of the book. The questions will be: 1. Who is Moose Flanagan? 2. Why did he have to Alcatraz Island? 3. Describe his sister, Natalie. 4. Will Moose enjoying living on the Island? 5. What does Al Capone do to his shirts and why? 6. Does Moose have a personal relationship with some convicts? 7. Write any other predictions you may have.
3 A. Vocabulary (Phonics and Vocabulary) RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko is a historical fiction chapter book. It is set in 1935 and talks in depth about some of the people that influenced that time period. Students from 2010 may not have a full grasp on all of the information. I will print off a list of words from the first two chapters that the students may not understand. The students and their partners will take this list and find them in the chapters. From context, the students will try to figure out the meaning. Then the students will go online or use the classroom dictionaries and encyclopedias to find the real meaning of the word. They will write this word next to their context definition. The students can use this sheet as their own personal dictionary as they read through the book. If they read another word that they do not understand, they can write it down on the bottom of the list with the two definitions.
B. Building Knowledge Activities
The students will be able to: 1. Analyze the writing and form an opinion. 2. Make inferences and conclude some of the unspoken meanings in the book.
1 B. Pair Reading (Fluency and Vocabulary) RL. 7. 3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
Through the whole book, the students will be working with their original partners. Together as a pair, they will be many different decisions about the book. The teacher will give the students a schedule of when the students will be working with the books in class (example: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday) and when they need to have the book completed (example: two weeks). The pairs will be able to split their book up and decide when they want to read what chapters. The only requirement is that the students leave at least one chapter to read together as a pair each day that they work on this book during class. During the class time, the students will get a chance to talk about what they read. They can discus if they like the book, if their predictions are right, and what they think will happen next. Then the students will read their assigned portion of the text. I will be walking around the groups listening to the students read and asking questions about the book. This will help keep the students focused.
2 B. Character Analysis (Comprehension and Vocbulary) RL. 7. 1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL. 7. 6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.
The students will take multiple copies of the character analysis worksheet. Each time the students meet as pairs in class, the teacher will have them work on a character. The students can fill out as many sections as a time as they want and can always add more detail to each character. On each sheet, the minimum that the student has to do is draw a picture of the character, describe three actions that the character does, and infer two things about the character from each action. Each student will also need to fill out sheets for at least four of the major characters. If the students are fast readers and quickly get done with their in-class reading, the teacher will have them continue working on different characters or adding more detail to the current ones.
3 B. Questioning the Author. (Comprehension) RL. 7. 1 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. RL. 7. 3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
This is the final thing that the students need to work on during their in-class reading period. The students need to think of questions that they would ask the Author about the book. The students will do this once when they first meet having a question about their individual reading and again once they finish their chapter of in-class reading. The students will keep these questions on a separate sheet of paper. When the students have finished reading their book, they will switch questions with another pair of students. If the new pair can answer them using context from the book, they will do it on another sheet of paper. If the students cannot answer the questions, they will use context and inferences from the book to determine an answer the Author may have. Then the students will trade back sheets and read their classmates’ responses.
C. Consolidation Activities
The students will be able to… 1. Distinguish and classify the main themes of the story 2. Develop their own visuals to describe these themes 3. Research Al Capone and evaluate if the Author did a good job of describing him.
1 C. Review Previous Predictions (Comprehension) RL. 7. 2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
This will be the first wrap up project that the students work on. I will hand back the original prediction sheets to the students. In pairs, they will read over their previous predictions and label them true or false. On a separate sheet of paper, the students will re-write their predictions along with their labels. If their prediction was false, they will write a short description of what really happened in the story instead of their guess. This will get the students reviewing the main plot of the book and connecting it to their original predictions.
2 C. Create A Cartoon (Comprehension and Vocbulary) RL. 7. 2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!
Another wrap up activity that I would use with my class is having them create a cartoon. As a class, we would talk about what happens to books that become very popular especially recently. The class would come to an agreement that most of the books turn into movies. For example: Twilight series, Harry Potter, Where the Wild Things Are, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs are all popular books that have turned into movies. The students could either pick to create a movie trailer or a short summary of one of the themes in the book. The cartoons have to be longer than 30 seconds and shorter than one minute. Other than that, the students are allowed to be very creative. They can include the characters that they want in their cartoon and also which parts of the book they want. Once the students have adequate time to work on them, we will watch them as a class.
3 C. Who is Al Capone? (Comprehension) RL. 7. 9 Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history
This is the final activity the students will do with the book. Since it is a historical fiction book, I will have the students research the time period of the book. The pairs of students will join up with two other pairs (six students per group). The students will be able to look up Al Capone, other criminals of the time period, Alcatraz Island, and other major events that occurred in the 1930’s. The students could even feel free to research Autism (the disability of the sister) and talk about what was done for students with disability during that time period. Then the groups will come up to the teacher and sign up for a topic to present in front of the class. The teacher will approve of them and the students can start working on their projects. For the projects, the students need to talk about the facts of their topic and how it played a part in the 1930’s. Then, the students need to connect their topic to the book. Finally, they need to discuss if they think Choldenko did incorporating this topic into the book or if she changed some details.
Assessments: 1. The teacher will assess the students on predicting major parts of the story by collecting their finalized prediction sheets after they have heard the first chapter of the story and had time to work with their partner. 2. The teacher will assess the students on concluding some of the unspoken meanings in the book by reading over each pairs answers to the students’ Questions to the Author. 3. The teacher will also assess the students on the same objective informally by walking around each pair an asking them questions while they are discussing the book. 4. The teacher will finally assess the students’ ability to distinguish and classify the main themes of the story by grading their cartoons and presentations.
ABC STORYBOOK
Lindsay NassED 401
Fall 2010
Al Capone Does My Shirts
By: Gennifer Choldenko
A. Anticipation Activities
The students will be able to...
1. Predict major parts of the story by hearing the first chapter
2. Identify major vocabulary words in the chapters and propose a definition based on the context.
1 A. Think-Pair-Share (Comprehension)
RL.7.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and anlyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
This first activity will help the students work on their predicting skills. The students will not have their personal copies of the books yet. I want the students to focus while I am reading to find out new information. First, I will ask the students what they do when they first pick up a book. I will act out all of their answers so they feel like they are looking at the book for the first time. I will guide to reading the back cover, looking at the picture on the front cover, looking at the chapter titles, and reading the first chapter. The students will then get five minutes to write about what they think about the book’s plot. Then the students will have ten minutes to get with a partner and write up a combined prediction. Finally, the students will be able to share what they wrote with the rest of the class.
2 A. Finalizing Predictions (Comprehension)
RL.7.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and anlyze its develpment over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
This second activity will make a list of final predictions for the class to look back on while they are reading. Since all of the students have made a general prediction, the teacher will put specific questions up on the board. The students can get back with their partners from the think-pair-share to answer the questions on a sheet of paper. The teacher will collect the sheets so the students can look back over their predictions at the end of the book.
The questions will be:
1. Who is Moose Flanagan?
2. Why did he have to Alcatraz Island?
3. Describe his sister, Natalie.
4. Will Moose enjoying living on the Island?
5. What does Al Capone do to his shirts and why?
6. Does Moose have a personal relationship with some convicts?
7. Write any other predictions you may have.
3 A. Vocabulary (Phonics and Vocabulary)
RL.7.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko is a historical fiction chapter book. It is set in 1935 and talks in depth about some of the people that influenced that time period. Students from 2010 may not have a full grasp on all of the information. I will print off a list of words from the first two chapters that the students may not understand. The students and their partners will take this list and find them in the chapters. From context, the students will try to figure out the meaning. Then the students will go online or use the classroom dictionaries and encyclopedias to find the real meaning of the word. They will write this word next to their context definition. The students can use this sheet as their own personal dictionary as they read through the book. If they read another word that they do not understand, they can write it down on the bottom of the list with the two definitions.
B. Building Knowledge Activities
The students will be able to:
1. Analyze the writing and form an opinion.
2. Make inferences and conclude some of the unspoken meanings in the book.
1 B. Pair Reading (Fluency and Vocabulary)
RL. 7. 3
Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
Through the whole book, the students will be working with their original partners. Together as a pair, they will be many different decisions about the book. The teacher will give the students a schedule of when the students will be working with the books in class (example: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday) and when they need to have the book completed (example: two weeks). The pairs will be able to split their book up and decide when they want to read what chapters. The only requirement is that the students leave at least one chapter to read together as a pair each day that they work on this book during class. During the class time, the students will get a chance to talk about what they read. They can discus if they like the book, if their predictions are right, and what they think will happen next. Then the students will read their assigned portion of the text. I will be walking around the groups listening to the students read and asking questions about the book. This will help keep the students focused.
2 B. Character Analysis (Comprehension and Vocbulary)
RL. 7. 1
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL. 7. 6
Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.
The students will take multiple copies of the character analysis worksheet. Each time the students meet as pairs in class, the teacher will have them work on a character. The students can fill out as many sections as a time as they want and can always add more detail to each character. On each sheet, the minimum that the student has to do is draw a picture of the character, describe three actions that the character does, and infer two things about the character from each action. Each student will also need to fill out sheets for at least four of the major characters. If the students are fast readers and quickly get done with their in-class reading, the teacher will have them continue working on different characters or adding more detail to the current ones.
3 B. Questioning the Author. (Comprehension)
RL. 7. 1
Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.
RL. 7. 3
Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
This is the final thing that the students need to work on during their in-class reading period. The students need to think of questions that they would ask the Author about the book. The students will do this once when they first meet having a question about their individual reading and again once they finish their chapter of in-class reading. The students will keep these questions on a separate sheet of paper. When the students have finished reading their book, they will switch questions with another pair of students. If the new pair can answer them using context from the book, they will do it on another sheet of paper. If the students cannot answer the questions, they will use context and inferences from the book to determine an answer the Author may have. Then the students will trade back sheets and read their classmates’ responses.
C. Consolidation Activities
The students will be able to…
1. Distinguish and classify the main themes of the story
2. Develop their own visuals to describe these themes
3. Research Al Capone and evaluate if the Author did a good job of describing him.
1 C. Review Previous Predictions (Comprehension)
RL. 7. 2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
This will be the first wrap up project that the students work on. I will hand back the original prediction sheets to the students. In pairs, they will read over their previous predictions and label them true or false. On a separate sheet of paper, the students will re-write their predictions along with their labels. If their prediction was false, they will write a short description of what really happened in the story instead of their guess. This will get the students reviewing the main plot of the book and connecting it to their original predictions.
2 C. Create A Cartoon (Comprehension and Vocbulary)
RL. 7. 2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
GoAnimate.com: Moose on Alcatraz by ED401
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!
Another wrap up activity that I would use with my class is having them create a cartoon. As a class, we would talk about what happens to books that become very popular especially recently. The class would come to an agreement that most of the books turn into movies. For example: Twilight series, Harry Potter, Where the Wild Things Are, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs are all popular books that have turned into movies. The students could either pick to create a movie trailer or a short summary of one of the themes in the book. The cartoons have to be longer than 30 seconds and shorter than one minute. Other than that, the students are allowed to be very creative. They can include the characters that they want in their cartoon and also which parts of the book they want. Once the students have adequate time to work on them, we will watch them as a class.
3 C. Who is Al Capone? (Comprehension)
RL. 7. 9
Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history
This is the final activity the students will do with the book. Since it is a historical fiction book, I will have the students research the time period of the book. The pairs of students will join up with two other pairs (six students per group). The students will be able to look up Al Capone, other criminals of the time period, Alcatraz Island, and other major events that occurred in the 1930’s. The students could even feel free to research Autism (the disability of the sister) and talk about what was done for students with disability during that time period. Then the groups will come up to the teacher and sign up for a topic to present in front of the class. The teacher will approve of them and the students can start working on their projects. For the projects, the students need to talk about the facts of their topic and how it played a part in the 1930’s. Then, the students need to connect their topic to the book. Finally, they need to discuss if they think Choldenko did incorporating this topic into the book or if she changed some details.
Assessments:
1. The teacher will assess the students on predicting major parts of the story by collecting their finalized prediction sheets after they have heard the first chapter of the story and had time to work with their partner.
2. The teacher will assess the students on concluding some of the unspoken meanings in the book by reading over each pairs answers to the students’ Questions to the Author.
3. The teacher will also assess the students on the same objective informally by walking around each pair an asking them questions while they are discussing the book.
4. The teacher will finally assess the students’ ability to distinguish and classify the main themes of the story by grading their cartoons and presentations.